The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-23
hand business invariably left his hand


 on top.
 The sides were then chosen until the whole panel was exhausted. There was no nine OH side restrictions in those days, and when one man was out the whole side was out. There was not much method about the fielding. The boys scattered themselves about as they saw fit. A number of the most useless members on both sides generally sat on the fence, because over was out, and the moment ball went over the fence there was simultane- ous dive of all the fellows on the fnece and a wild scramble for the ball. If some one on the batsman's side got the ball it was not out, if fellow on the other side, then the other side went to bat.
 Ii the batsman struck at ball and the catcher caught it he was out There were no four strikes or five balls business, and the batsman did not need to run unless he felt satisfied that he struck the ball far enouoh to make
 :. - .or nrsJ "g0ol, or, ra- ther, he did not need to run until he had struck the ball three times.
 There was no catching q runner out by throwing the ball to the bases in the good old days. The fellow who had hold of the ball when the runner s,itl .o.. .-..v v,, .. -s.. .,.. --. ... the hurrying victim, and although the ball was not as hard as those now used, yet when it took person square in the ribs it was ant 'c '-
 out in every sense ot the word.
 If I remember rightly the fourth "gooF was home, and as the runner hopped across it he yelled at the top of his voice, "tally onew This was an intimation to the "official scorer" to cut another notch in the stick with his jack-knite. It was great honor to be allowed to keep the tally. The official scorer usually sat on the fence and chewed tobacco. He had long stick and on one edge of this he cut notches to represent the runs of one club, and on the other side the notch es showed the runs made by the op- posing crowd. Every now and then some one would ask him how the game stood, and he would reply "169 to 204," or whatever the score was. "There was no nothing to one" in those days.
 We never had an umpire. As the game was then played there was no chance for close decisions. The only point that left chance for wrangle was whether or not the man was on the base at the time he was hit by the ball. But if the hit was good sound one, the man generally sat down on ihc irlG where he WIS, and lad no disposition to dispute the fact that he was struck.
 shall never forget the day when q hard ball was first introduced on the grounds. was pitching. l wasn't doing as well as might be expected that day, and the batters were knock ing the ball all over the township. My pitching was making our side tired especially the tielders. Young Allison was on center field, and he was kept trotting after the ball till it got past being at all funny. He thought it was about time to give me gentle hint that my pitching was not up to the league standard. In racing after the ball when a home run was scored, he picked up round stone about the size of the ball we were using, and, putting the ball in his pocket, he threw the stone from the center field to where I stood 1 caught it. thought the end of the world had come. It seemed to drive my wrist clear up into my elbow. That ended my pitching for that season. It has always been matter of regret with me that was never able to thrash Allison for that throw.